Students of the Faculty of Technology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, have disclosed that the way forward for the nation’s development and overcoming the present economic mishaps is to embrace techpreneurship (technology entrepreneurship) and for the youth population to become innovators and solution providers.

The tech students made the assertion at the 2018 Technology Entrepreneurship conference held in the institution. The conference, which had high-ranking dignitaries in attendance had speakers emphasising the role of entrepreneurship, especially that of technology in driving the nation’s economy.

Speaking at the event, former Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Michael Faborode, admonished participants to become problem solvers and help create opportunities for many others, stressing that entrepreneurship is the driving force behind the development witnessed in the Asian tigers and may be replicated here in Nigeria if people become more pragmatic and entrepreneurial.

Former chief examiner, Nigeria Society of Engineers, Ibadan branch, O. A. Morakinyo, emphasized that technology is shaping the world, adding that in the nearest future technology entrepreneurs in Nigeria will be at the echelon of the economy.

Speaking on the need for individuals to add values to life, Procter & Gamble Human Resources Manager and the Convener, The New Breed Network, Idowu Oladiamonds, every human being has no money because they have no value to sell.

According to him, “it is value that brings money and people must learn to identify how best to become valuable to the society. Any one can make money but not everyone can add value.”

Ife Business School Director, Dr. Makinwa Adereti, urged participant, particularly the students to look at ways to solve the problems around not necessarily by starting from what no one has done before but building from what is already existing, adding that this could be achieved by thinking many years ahead of the present times. Highpoint of the event was the awards to the dignitaries and a scholarship to Ife Business School to a student who built a drone with local materials.